Concrete contractor in Petaluma, CA - driveways, patios and slabs on a packed base
Allied Petaluma Concrete is a concrete contractor based in Petaluma, CA. We build driveways, patios, walks, steps, walls and foundations here, and I look at each job myself while our own crew forms, pours and finishes it.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
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Petaluma homes, lots and the concrete around them
Petaluma is where we're based, and most of the concrete we pour here goes around houses. Closer to downtown, a lot of the homes are older, with narrow driveways, front walks and steps that were poured a long time ago. The newer neighborhoods farther out tend to call us for garage slabs, backyard patios and side yards. We also pour for ranch properties and small businesses at the edges of the city, and we do the same flatwork, the driveways, walks, patios and floors that lie on the ground, up the 101 in Santa Rosa.
The age of the house usually shapes how the job starts. Older lots often mean breaking out old concrete by hand around tree roots, fences and tight side yards, while newer lots usually leave room for a truck and a cleaner tear-out.
Concrete work we do on Petaluma properties
Concrete driveway building
When a Petaluma driveway has cracked, sunk or started pooling water, we tear it out, pack a new base and pour it sloped away from the house.
Concrete patio construction
A backyard patio here sees winter rain and summer sun, so we slope it to send water away from the house and give it a texture that isn't slick.
Stamped concrete services
A stone or brick pattern pressed into the wet concrete suits older front walks and patios here, with the look of pavers but no pieces to work loose.
Concrete sidewalk building
Front walks lifted by tree roots or sunk at one end turn into trip spots, so we cut out the bad sections and pour new ones that sit level.
Garage floor concrete
Garage floors in older houses are often cracked, stained and sloping the wrong way, and a new slab gives you a sound floor that drains toward the door.
Decorative concrete
Colored, exposed-aggregate or scored finishes let a new slab suit an older house or a garden, and we talk through how each one wears before you choose.
Concrete retaining walls
On sloped yards and hillside lots around Petaluma, a concrete wall holds the soil back so a patio or driveway can sit flat, with drainage behind it.
Concrete floor installation
For shops, barns, studios and additions, we pour interior concrete floors that come out flat, which matters when you're setting equipment or laying flooring later.
Concrete pool decks
A pool deck has to drain away from the water and grip when wet, so we slope it to shed water and give it a texture bare feet can handle.
Concrete steps construction
Front steps on older houses often crumble at the edges or pull away from the porch, and we rebuild them with steps of even height so nobody trips.
Slab foundation building
For a new garage, shop or second unit, we build the slab foundation it sits on, with the ground prep and steel the plans call for.
Foundation installation
When you're adding onto an older house or building new, we form and pour the foundation to the engineer's plans, so the frame has solid support under it.
Concrete parking lot building
Small businesses and multi-unit properties here need parking that carries cars all day, so we pour thicker slabs with steel and plan where the water drains.
Concrete footings
Decks, fences, sheds and porch posts need concrete footings, the buried pads that carry the weight, and we dig them to the depth the job calls for.
Foundation raising
When part of an older house has settled and doors stick or floors slope, we raise that section and set new concrete under it for firmer support.
Concrete cutting
We saw-cut openings, trenches and clean lines where only part of a slab has to go, so the rest of your driveway or patio stays intact.
Get a free written estimate for concrete work in Petaluma
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no pressure to book.
- support@petalumaconcretecontractor.com
- Based in
- Petaluma, CA 94952
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Working in Petaluma: permits, licenses and what sets the price
The City of Petaluma decides whether your job needs a building permit, and when it does, we help with the application and set our start date around the city's approval and inspections. Before you hire anyone, ask for their state contractor's license number and its expiration date, since the city's business license application asks a contractor for both, and ask whether they hold a Petaluma business license. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm glad to put those details in writing for you.
Price comes down to the size of the area, how much old concrete has to come out, how deep we dig for the base, whether the slab needs rebar, steel bars laid inside to keep any crack from spreading apart, and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the city's review if there is one, the weather, and curing, the time new concrete needs to harden before it takes weight. Your written estimate lists what's included, and it's the same approach we take down the 101 in Novato and up the road in Cotati.
Why Petaluma driveways and patios wear out
Most of the cracked, sunken driveways and patios we see here were poured on a base that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so the slab settled as the dirt under it did. Many also fall toward the house rather than away from it, which leaves water pooling at the garage door or against the foundation. We dig down to firm subgrade, the soil the slab rests on, pack a new base on top and set the forms so water runs away from the house.
Our weather plays a part too. Wet winters keep the ground under a poorly drained slab soft through the rainy season, and on a hot summer afternoon fresh concrete can dry too fast on top and turn weak and dusty later, so we time our pours for the cooler part of the day.
How a Petaluma concrete job runs from your first call
Here's how the job goes from the first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to and what happens at each stage.
Call us or send the form
Tell us what you're dealing with, and we'll call you back to set a time for me to come out. You don't need measurements or a plan ready.
I visit and write it up
I walk the site, ask how you'll use the space and look at the old concrete and the ground under it, then send a written estimate that lists what's included. It helps if you're home for the visit so we can talk it through.
We sort out city steps
Once you're ready, we take care of any permit steps and set a date. The city says most permits take a few weeks or even several months, though some are issued over the counter or within a few days.
We pour, finish and walk it
Our own crew forms, pours and finishes the work, and I walk the finished job with you before we pack up. We'll go over how long to keep off it before we leave.
Questions about concrete work in Petaluma
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Petaluma?
Your price comes from your own site, and you get it as a written estimate after I've been out to look. Beyond the size and base work, tearing out old concrete on a tight older lot and the finish move it most, and a plain broom finish, the fine lines dragged across the surface for grip, costs less than stamped or colored work. If money is tight, I'd rather you go plainer on top than cut back on the base, because a finish can be redone later and a bad base can't be fixed without starting over. If the city requires a permit, its fee is either flat or based on what the project costs, and the city's master fee schedule gives you a figure to confirm with the office issuing it.
Do I need a city permit for a concrete driveway or patio in Petaluma?
The city's published permit examples don't answer that for a driveway or patio, so ask its building staff at building@cityofpetaluma.org or call City Hall at (707) 778-4345 before work starts. Those examples cover work such as decks, fences, garages, new homes, second units and additions, and blocking off a sidewalk during a project needs a permit of its own because it takes over public space. City Hall is open Monday through Thursday and closed Fridays.
How do I apply for a building permit in Petaluma?
You apply online through the city's Permits & Planning Hub. In most cases the city also wants architectural or engineering plans to review and approve, so on a job that needs drawings, those come first and the review starts after.
What causes concrete driveways in Petaluma to crack, and will my new one crack too?
Most cracks we see come from a base that wasn't packed, which I covered above, or from control joints that were cut late or skipped. Control joints are grooves cut into the slab so that when concrete shrinks as it hardens, the crack runs along a straight line where we chose to put it, which is why we cut them before the slab can crack on its own. I'll tell you plainly that a new slab can still show hairline cracks, but they should mostly stay in the joints.
How long until I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
You can usually walk on a new driveway well before you can drive on it, because the concrete keeps gaining strength for a while after the pour and needs more of it to carry a car. Cool, damp weather slows that down, so I'll tell you both dates for your job before we pour and you can plan where the car goes in the meantime.
Does a concrete contractor from outside Petaluma need a city business license?
Yes, the city's business license instructions have a business located outside Petaluma complete the application and pay. A business located in Petaluma also emails its application to the city's planning and business tax offices, and the city needs a zoning clearance for the business's location and type before it issues the license. Those instructions carry no date, so check current figures with the city.
Petaluma, CA
Get a written estimate for your Petaluma job
Seeing the old concrete and the ground under it in person tells us more than any photo can, so call (707) 283-3110 or send the form and I'll come take a look.